Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-23

WUIlt 1.-TWO c2EldSINtij NcIuu
cratic control.
In the interval, having amended the laws
on which the debt settlement was depend
emf for success. contrary to their plighted
faith, the democrats lave seriously proposed
through their leader in the Senate. 10 re
peal oil the legislation supplemental TO that
bill, thus confirming the destruction of The
measure By their own intermedlpg.
They have invited the British b0ndhold
ers here for conference and adjustment, and
appointed q committee TO deal with them
carefully excluding from that committee
any representative OF the republican party.
Ths itself was an outrage upon tho repnbli-
cans of Virginia, who are in a majority oil
90 900, according 10 the returns Of the lasl
general election in this State, and who arc
| tax payers. as much interested in this ques
ton as the democratic MISUNDERSTANDING 81
stake in the Commonwealth and her con
Germs that would have suggested nj least
some representation for them to any but
Bourbon partizans. Being non-political
the question should have been treated out.
side of party lines.
! But the Bourbon leaders, thus assuming
the entire responsibility for the negotiations
with the British bondholders, proceeded To
receive from them and make 10 them, Oilers
which were not on the basis OF the settle
ment to which they were pledged. Five
times in the Bourbon Legislature, then in
session. resolutions directing the Virginia
committee TO tender TO the British commits
sion our debt settlement of 1882 were voted
down, and we charge that that settlement
never was rendered 10 the British commits
sioners. On the contrary, the Virginia
committee rendered n settlement to The
| British commissioners which. both as To
amount and as TO the feature of taX-receiva-
BILE coupons, was in violation of their pledge
| to maintain the debt settlement as that OF
| their own party, ana WAS an Abandonment
| OF that settlement.
Now that tho democrats have assembled
at Roanoke and again pledged themselves
to stand by our settlement Ia settlement
which they have virtually destroyed), they
seem to think that public confidence has
put no limit to its credulity, and that this
simple declaration is all sufficient to restore
to them the wavering popular support.
They apparently forget that this declara
ton is not such az it would have been be
fore they tempered with that settlement
| They seem 10 forget that such declaration is
now in defiance of creditor ami court, who
have taken position on this settlement by
their invitation. They apparently fail TO
realize that standing by this settlement,
which they themselves have unsettled
neither settles the questions they have re
opened, pays the debt, nor hindors the alb
sorption of revenue by the coupons, which
are again active and self-asserting. The
most that they propose ia to stand still by
the shattered fragments of that settlement
and allow their funding bill and brokers'
bill mortgages upon our revenues to bury
the taxable energies of our people beneath
coupons, accommodating at the rate of ST.
100000 annually. 1t is an evasion of the
pressing, living question which is uppermost
in the mind of every citizen Of Virginia,
and more important than all others to the
progress and prosperity of the State.
1t is for you TO decide, fellow citZens.
whether you will again accept their apollo
gies, and leave the debt settlement in their
hands to go from bad to worse, or, ere it is
too late, rccommit the matter TO those
whose work the democratic party endorsed
and have adopted-a work which would
doubtless have gone TO full success but for
their ignorant tampering with its vital
parts-a work which they can never com
plete, because they lack the capacity to
comprehend and The disposition to meet the
ezpencies Of the question.
We believe, fellow citizens, that you heart
lily desire a prompt and final settlement of
this question. Your every interest demands
this. Your State is suffering untold injury
every hour it is delayed. We believe that
if power ia delegated TO tho republican
party, it will not stand still, but will pro
coed promptly to such measures as will ef-
feet final disposition of this long agtated
and much complicated problem, upon terms
we say, while in no wise dishonorable TO
you or the State, must nc acceptable to the
creditors, and without increasing your tax
able burdens.
Fifth As to Federal aid in the debt settle
ment. This idea, feebly presented by its
proponents without any confidence on their
part, has no merit Of originality, and is not
offered to you with the courage OF their con-
victions that it is practicable. 1t was first
advanced by the late Henry A. Wise in
speech at West Point, Va, December, 1871.
No man in Virginia was further away from
these Bourbon leaders in his feelings than
was Gov Wise. He had denounced their
inc,mpetency on the debt question, their
dishonesty and hypocrisy in elections, and
had stamped them with the undying de-
scription that they had "outscalawagged
INC sChld"uRBeTS anu Oub-CaTpeUOHRSeu tue
carpetbaggers." This Federal aid was next
advocated by the Hon. James q. Blaine, of
Maine, the republican candidate for Pres
ident of the United States against Mr.. Cleve
land. If it is ever given effect, it will be in
opposition to the narrow views of Federal
power entertained by the democracy, and
through the liberal construction contended
for by tho republican party. 1t remains to
be seen whethcrihe people, knowing that
The principle of such aid is contrary TO dem.
ocralic doctrine, and that the idea original
ed outside the democratic party, will be de |
luded by the hope that it can be successful |
ly carried out by the democracy of Virginia
As to the promised aid for our disabled |
soldiers and their widows. The republican
party will cheerfuly unite in every such ef
fort in The future rs it has in the past but
we warn The people of Virginia That if the
party now iu power is allowed to remain in
control, its incompetency and mismanaee-
ment will leave no revenues 10 be appropri.
ated for tho relief OF soldiers and their